Bassett Family Association Database

David Edwin Bassett

Male 1846 - 1935  (88 years)


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  • Name David Edwin Bassett 
    Born 9 Oct 1846  Carthage, Hancock, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    _UID 1EBE936110547F40ABB5ADB32BF43A000C5F 
    Died 17 Feb 1935  Basin, Big Horn, Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried 19 Feb 1935  Kane, Big Horn, Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • 3B325437. David Edwin Bassett, son of Loren Elias and Hulda Dimrus (Vaughn) Bassett, was born 9 Oct 1846 in Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois. He died 17 Feb 1935 in Basin, Big Horn County, Wyoming. He married Eliza Jane Atkinson, daughter of Alfred John and Ann (Botting) Atkinson, on 9 Apr 1867 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. She was born 22 Jul 1852 in Bermondsey, Surrey, England. She died 26 Feb 1934 in Basin, Big Horn County, Wyoming. They are both buried in the Iona-Kane Cemetery, Big Horn County, Wyoming.
      Eliza Jane sailed for America with her family in March of 1855. They settled in Millcreek, Salt Lake County, Utah. In 1857 they moved to Mendon, Utah, where, later, she met and married Edwin Bassett. After several moves they made Clarkston, Utah their home, where they had a nice dairy farm. Eliza became very proficient in making butter and cheese. She carded and spun wool and wove it into cloth for her husband's suits and shirts.
      David Edwin also married Emily Ann Atkinson, sister to Eliza Jane, on 25 Oct 1869 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. Emily was born 28 Jan 1855 in Egham, Berkshire, England. She died 30 Mar 1924 in Idaho Falls, Bonneville County, Idaho.
      In 1886 Edwin took a contract to build part of the railroad from Frannie to Thermopolis, Wyoming, and Eliza boarded 15 men. They worked two summers, living in tents. In the winter they returned to Clarkston.

      In 1889 David Edwin moved to Star Valley, Wyoming with Eliza Jane, leaving Emily Ann and her children behind for a time. His leaving Emily behind in Clarkston was most likely due to the threats of anti-polygamy raids from federal marshals. (See note below.) In 1899 David Edwin and Eliza Jane moved to the Big Horn Basin in northern Wyoming.

      GIVEN NAME: He was given the name of Edwin Bassett at birth. When he married his second wife, Emily Ann, he used the name David to avoid prosecution by the fedral marshals. (See note on polygamy below.) Both names have continued, with the namd David often in parentheses.

      1880 Federal Census of Clarkston, Cache County, Utah, En. Dist.13, p. 8 Taken 3rd - 4th June 1880
      Edwin Bassett 33 M IL NY CN Head Farmer
      Eliza Jane 26 F EN EN EN Wife Keeping House
      Eliza Ann 9 F UT IL EN Daughter
      Susan A. 7 F UT IL EN Daughter
      Lucinda J. 4 F UT IL EN Daughter
      Apleton H. 1 M UT IL EN Son
      Emely 24 F EN EN EN Wife
      Emely J. 7 F UT IL EN Daughter
      C. Albert 4 M UT IL EN Son
      Elena C. 2 F UT IL EN Daughter
      Harlow F. Bassett 12 M UT IL UT Other Servant
      Elizabeth Atkinson 16 F UT EN EN Sister-in-law
      (Note: see also 1880 Census for Lorin and Emma Bassett. Harlow F is listed there also. He is a son of Loren Elias Jr. & Emma, and the nephew of Edwin.)

      1900 Census of Cody, Big Horn, WY, En. Dist.72, p.16 (FHL film #1241826). Census taken 13 June 1900.
      Bassett David E Head M Oct 1846 53 Married 33 yrs Illinois New York Penn Farmer
      Bassett Eliza G Wife F Jul 1852 48 M 33 yrs 12 children 11 living Eng Eng Eng immigrated 1855
      Bassett Appleton H Son M Oct 1878 21 S Utah Illinois England
      Bassett David E Son M Oct 1880 19 S Utah Illinois England
      Bassett Lucretia M Dau F June 1883 16 S Utah Illinois England
      Bassett George R Son M Mar 1885 15 S Wyoming Illinois England
      Bassett Nancy M Dau F Sep 1888 11 S Wyoming Illinois England
      Bassett Harvy D Son M June 1891 8 S Wyoming Illinois England
      Bassett Ona L Dau F Jan 1894 6 S Wyoming Illinois England
      Bassett Herbert L Son M Feb 1898 2 S Wyoming Illinois England

      1910 Census of Sarver Precinct, Big Horn, WY, En. Dist. 15, p. 13 (FHL film #1375758). Census taken 20 May 1910
      Edwin Bassett Head, M W 64 M 43 years, Ill. NY Penn., farmer
      Eliza Bassett Wife F W 57 M 43 years, mother of 12 children, 11 living Eng. Eng. Eng
      Nancy M. Bassett Dau. F W 21, single, Wyo. Ill. Eng. working out as general houseworker
      Harvy Bassett Son M W 18 single, Wyo. Ill. Eng. foreman at sheep ranch
      Ona Bassett Dau. F W 15, single, Wyo. Ill. Eng.
      Herbert Bassett Son M W 12, single Wyo. Ill. Eng. Farm laborar [sic] on home farm.

      1930 Federal Census of Kane, Big Horn County, Wyoming (22 Apr 1930)
      Edwin Bassett 84 M IL NY PA Head
      Eliza 77 F EN EN EN Wife
      (Married at 20 & 16)

      Note: David Edwin Bassett participated in the practice of plural marriage that was promoted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) for a time in the early days of the Church. It was viewed as a divine commandment to “raise up seed unto God” and practiced by only 20% to 25% of the Mormon population. Only men who were called by those in authority were to practice it and only after obtaining the consent of the current wife. The “Manifesto” of 1890 ended this practice. (See Ludlow, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 3 (1992), pp. 1095, 1109). Polygamist marriages, like most marriages and families worked well in some cases and not so well in others. From accounts of the descendants of David Edwin Bassett, this plural marriage worked well. Ona Bassett Scott, the youngest daughter of David Edwin and Eliza Jane wrote this description of the families: “Sometime after Father and Mother were married, Father married Emily Ann, younger sister of Mother.... It has been said by families and by the older children who experienced it, that the home with the two families in it could not have been any more harmonious. They can’t remember a single harsh or angry word between the two mothers or the two sets of children. A child would mind one mother just as readily as the other. It was the Manifesto that separated the two families.” When this declaration from the Church ended the practice of plural marriage in 1890, those who were already married still faced possible prosecution from the federal marshals. This may be what made it necessary for Emily Ann and her children to stay behind when David Edwin and Eliza Jane moved on. Emily did have help from her parents family in raising her children. She was also skilled in domestic crafts and was able to support herself.
    Person ID I1109  3B Thomas Bassett of Connecticut
    Last Modified 23 Nov 2015 

    Father Loren Elias Bassett,   b. 5 Mar 1809, Granby, Hartford, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft Jun 1880, Providence, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age > 71 years) 
    Mother Huldah Dimrus Vaughn,   b. 11 Feb 1808, Elizabethtown, Lower Canada, Lower Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Oct 1886, Clarkston, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 78 years) 
    Married 1844 
    Family ID F465  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Eliza Jane Atkinson,   b. 22 Jul 1852, Crosby Row, Bermondsey, Surrey, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Feb 1934, Basin, Big Horn, Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 81 years) 
    Married 9 Apr 1867  Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Alpheus Edwin Bassett,   b. 15 May 1868, Providence, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 May 1869, Providence, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 0 years)
    +2. Eliza Ann Bassett,   b. 29 Nov 1870, Providence, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Nov 1943, Helena, Lewis & Clark, Montana Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years)
    +3. Susan Alzina Bassett,   b. 15 Feb 1873, Providence, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Oct 1945, Lovell, Big Horn, Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years)
    +4. Lucinda Isabell Bassett,   b. 5 Jul 1875, Providence, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 8 Nov 1961, Cowley, Big Horn, Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 86 years)
    +5. Appleton Henry Bassett,   b. 30 Oct 1878, Clarkston, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Dec 1963, South San Gabriel, Los Angeles, California Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years)
    +6. David Ezra Bassett,   b. 31 Oct 1880, Clarkston, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 6 Apr 1913, Kane, Big Horn, Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 32 years)
    +7. Lucetta Maria Bassett,   b. 5 Jun 1883, Clarkston, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 29 Jul 1968, Lovell, Big Horn, Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years)
    +8. Russel George Bassett,   b. 2 Mar 1885, Clarkston, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Jan 1937, Lovell, Big Horn, Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 51 years)
    +9. Nancy Maude Bassett,   b. 18 Sep 1888, Afton, Uinta (now Lincoln), Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 15 Jun 1961, Big Horn, Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years)
    +10. Harvey Delbert Bassett,   b. 27 Jun 1891, Afton, Uinta (now Lincoln), Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Sep 1980, Cedar City, Iron, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 89 years)
    +11. Ona Luella Bassett,   b. 23 Jan 1894, Afton, Uinta (now Lincoln), Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Mar 1958, Basin, Big Horn, Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 64 years)
    +12. Herbert Leroy Bassett,   b. 22 Feb 1898, Fairview, Uinta, (now Lincoln), Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Sep 1986, Cody, Park, Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 88 years)
    Last Modified 27 May 2015 
    Family ID F474  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Emily Ann Atkinson,   b. 26 Jan 1855, Egham, Surrey, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 31 Mar 1924, Idaho Falls, Bonneville, Idaho Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 69 years) 
    Married 25 Oct 1869  Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. Emily Jane Bassett,   b. 15 Sep 1872, Providence, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Sep 1910, Teton City, Fremont, Idaho Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 38 years)
    +2. Chancey Albert Bassett,   b. 23 Dec 1875, Providence, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 May 1964, Boise, Ada, Idaho Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 88 years)
    +3. Eleanore Caroline Bassett,   b. 16 Feb 1878, Providence, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 May 1925, Idaho Falls, Bonneville, Idaho Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 47 years)
    +4. Elizabeth Alvira Bassett,   b. 11 Dec 1880, Clarkston, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Sep 1937, Idaho Falls, Bonneville, Idaho Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 56 years)
    +5. Mariam Melissa Bassett,   b. 25 Jun 1883, Clarkston, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 May 1957, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 73 years)
    +6. Parley Mayhew Bassett,   b. 7 Oct 1885, Clarkston, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 Oct 1975, Boise, Ada, Idaho Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 90 years)
    +7. Mary Amelia Bassett,   b. 21 Jan 1888, Clarkston, Cache, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 8 Dec 1977, Idaho Falls, Bonneville, Idaho Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 89 years)
    +8. Allen James Bassett,   b. 23 Jan 1894, Afton, Uinta (now Lincoln), Wyoming Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Sep 1965, Boise, Ada, Idaho Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 71 years)
    Last Modified 27 May 2015 
    Family ID F475  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart